Data centres are key to high availability and around the clock access to information. As the number of data centres increases to satisfy the demand for data, so does their energy consumption. This thesis is a case study of the data centres located in the Node Pole region in the North of Sweden. It aims to look at aspects of both the energy supply of Norrbotten and the actual technologies used by the data centres to utilise this energy supply. Using a literature review to gather primary data, the first research question analyses the energy supply of Norrbotten, investigating its specificities through energy security theories, particularly looking through the aspects of availability, accessibility and affordability. The second question examines the Node Pole’s implementation response to the specific energy supply of the North of Sweden, and whether this response is efficient and sustainable, using the four Rs theory and the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). The results of the analysis show that the North of Sweden is currently in a privileged position: the energy produced in Norrbotten benefits from high availability criteria, is in oversupply, and thanks to the prevalence of hydropower and wind power in the energy mix, is very low in GHG emissions. The Swedish grid is reliable and robust, and Norbotten is no exception to that rule, providing the Node Pole with an accessible “plug and play” module to the electricity grid. In addition, the recent tax rebate aimed at the data centre industry means that the energy is affordable, more so in fact than in many other European countries. This assessment makes for a favourable breeding ground for data centres in the region from an energy security perspective. Meanwhile, the Node Pole data centres use ground-breaking cooling technologies consisting of airside cooling combined with adiabatic pads for humidity control (no separate humidification system), simple air filtration facilities (thanks to the outstanding air quality of the area),  and aerodynamic architectural premises layouts for better flow, reducing the cooling costs by increasing the efficiency of the overall air conditioning system. This technology is paired with innovative power distribution solutions (non-standard voltage and less UPS batteries), thereby considerably reducing the electricity consumption again and the waste of energy caused by voltage conversion. Combining the auspicious energy offerings of the Norrbotten region with the ingenious practical implementations of the data centres thus unleashes a new potential for more efficient and sustainable data centres.

Food waste has implications for the people, the planet, and profits. It presents a global problem which normally requires a local solution. Around 6% of the global food loss occurs in Latin America. However, the region lacks a clear strategy to address the issue, which is also true at the national level for countries such as Guatemala. Furthermore, the perception of different actors in the country towards food waste and its management remains unknown. The aim of this research is to explore on the attitudes towards food waste that might exist in the country by focusing on the restaurant sector with the objective of producing a holistic understanding of the issue. Concentration on the restaurant sector provides additional information of the matter, on a sector that shows limited research on it. To fulfill this objective, a case study was conducted, one that involved the participation of three actors directly related to restaurants as either managers or owners and an actor involved in the Municipality of Guatemala City. The research utilized semi-structured interviews and a review of the literature available on the subject as means of data gathering. The analysis was supported using the Triple Bottom Line Framework, a Positional Analysis ideology, the Sustainable Development Goals and the EU Waste Framework Directive. The results showed varied perceptions from the actors on the categorization of food waste, although impacts on an economic, environmental, and social dimension derived from food waste were acknowledged by all of them; being the latter the most prominent. For the actors, the generation of food waste was significant at the customer level, but was also influenced by the type of service provided by the restaurants. Additionally, the approaches selected by them to either directly or indirectly manage food waste covered a vast range of actions. Finally, the actors understood as key for addressing the food waste issue, the raising of awareness on the subject.

This present case study is exploring whether an Education for Sustainable Development initiative, as exemplified by the South African Earthchild Project (ECP), which is focused on yoga, environmental education and hiking, can empower children and enhance their agency to become agents of change for Sustainable Development. With empowerment and agency theories as a backdrop, a quasi-experimental design is adopted. A drawing method is used in combination with follow-up interviews with an experimental group (children exposed to ECP) and a control group (children not exposed to ECP). Additional data were collected by a focus group session, semi-structured interviews and participant observation. These additional sources are youth who have been members of ECP for numerous years. The findings of this research suggest that that children and youth who are exposed to ECP’s activities are more empowered and have more agency in terms of Sustainable Development than those who are not exposed. Taking into account the study’s limitations and imperfections, it can be concluded that ECP, using an ESD-inspired approach, is meeting its intended objectives.

Stoft är ett eoliskt, klastiskt silt-material som blåst från exponerade områden via atmosfären och avsätts i form av löss-sekvenser på andra ställen i världen. Dessa sekvenser utgör ett naturligt arkiv som innehåller information om tidigare förändringar i klimatet ända bak till kvartärtidens början för ungefär 2.5 miljoner år sedan.                       Mycket av stoftet i Europa avsattes under senaste istiden som var för cirka hundra tusen till tio tusen år sedan. En löss-sekvens är lokaliserad i Madaras i södra Ungern och är tio meter tjock, för det här projektet har stoft-prover från sekvensen analyserats med röntgenstrålning. Analysen visar vilka och vilken halt av grundämnen som stoftproverna från de olika nivåerna innehåller, vilket i sin tur hjälper till att rekonstruera klimat från den senaste istiden. Röntgenstrålningen har genererats av en apparat som heter Brukar S1 Titan och utför metoden XRF som står för X-ray Flourescence, vilken har utförts på Geocentrum på Uppsala Universitet. Tolkning av resultatet samt jämförelse med tidigare forskning ska hjälpa till att förstå klimatförändringar från senaste istiden genom att undersöka vittring och ursprungskälla. Resultatet indikerar på att information om klimat är bevarat i sekvensen, då slutsatsen är att vittring har haft en svag men tydlig effekt på stoftet som avsatts i Madaras, och att ändringar av stoftets ursprungskälla inte har påverkat den studerade sekvensen. / Dust is aeolian, clastic silt material that has been eroded from exposed land surfaces, blown via the atmosphere and deposited as loess sequences in other areas in the world. Loess contains information about changes in the climate all the way back to the beginning of the Quaternary, approximately 2.5 million years ago.                       Research shows that a lot of the European dust was deposited during the last glacial of the Quaternary period, which was from approximately one hundred thousand to ten thousand years ago. One loess sequence is located in Madaras in southern Hungary and is 10 meters thick, in this project, dust samples from the sequence have been analyzed with XRF (X-ray Flourescence). The analysis shows which and what percentage of elements the samples contain, which in turn will help to reconstruct climate from the last glacial. The analysis was conducted using a XRF machine called Bruker S1 Titan and was done at Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden. Interpreting of the results, as well as comparing with earlier research, will help to understand climate changes from the latest glacial by examine weathering and dust source. The result indicates that information about past climate is preserved at the site, because of the conclusion that says that weathering has had a weak but distinct effect on the dust deposited at Madaras, and that the dust source changes do not have affected the studied sequence.

A soil profile was taken close to Skellefteå in Västerbotten, northern Sweden. The profile has an upper oxidised zone, 30 cm thick, underlain by a transitions zone, in this paper called accumulation zone, and a reduced zone at 160 cm depth. pH was measured in the field and samples from all zones were analysed for major and trace elements by ICP-SFMS. A batch test was performed on samples from the three zones. Optical microscopy and SEM were used to study mineralogy, focusing on the occurrence of framboidal pyrite. The results were compared with those of profiles in the Luleåarea further north, studied earlier. The results clearly show that the sampled soil profile in the Skellefteå area is of similar types as the soils in the Luleå area. A distinct upper oxidation zone has been developed in all profiles with a strong depletion of S, due to oxidation of iron sulphides when these sediments have been exposed to atmospheric oxygen. This oxidation appears to be stronger in the Luleå profiles than in theSkellefteå profile, possibly because they have oxidised a longer time. All the Luleå profiles and theSkellefteå profiles are acid sulphate soils. There is a depletion of sulphide-associated trace elements such as Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn in the oxidation zone due to the oxidation of iron sulphides with subsequent low pH and leaching. This depletion is more pronounced in the Luleå profiles than in the Skellefteå profile. There is a tendency for secondary accumulation in the accumulation zone, in the Skellefteå profile close to the groundwater table in particular. The batch test in the Skellefteå profile allowed for the observation that the highest concentrations occurred at the groundwater level. Framboidal pyrite occurs in the Skellefteå profile as well as in the Luleå profiles. In the Skellefteåprofile there is a positive correlation between organic matter, shells and framboidal pyrite, illustrating that organic matter was important for the formation of framboidal pyrite. Although most of the pyrite has been oxidized and dissolved in the oxidized zone, there was still some framboidal pyrite left, possibly protected by shells and organic matter.

To bring about the rapid transformative change needed to address the global sustainability crises, a paradigm shift is needed, characterized by more sustainable beliefs and attitudes. Therefore, this thesis explores the potentials of an escape game intervention as a new strategy to promote sustainable attitudes and beliefs in players, focusing on environmental sustainability. Firstly, a framework was created with Five Pillars for a successful environmental escape game: Fun, Experiential, Urgent, Problem-Rewarding and Social. Afterwards, this Five Pillars Framework guided the design and evaluation of an Environmental escape game called “Unlock the Future”. Based on the framework, an escape game with the Five Pillars was expected to increase players’ environmental attitudes and efficacy beliefs. To test this assumption, pre- and post-survey data was gathered from nine teams who played the escape game, using validated scales for environmental attitude, self-efficacy and collective efficacy, as well as an adapted version of the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale. The survey results confirmed that all Five Pillars were present in the escape game design, and as a result players’ environmental self-efficacy and collective efficacy increased after playing the game. However, this effect was not present for players’ environmental attitude, nor for participants that were game hosts, or failed at the escape game.

As reliance on energy and water resources grow, so do the concerns regarding their security, especially in terms of availability. A projected rise in population, accompanied by the relentless pursuit of economic growth and increasing climate change, indicate that greater stress will be placed on these same resources. Biofuels are considered to be a viable alternative to fossil fuels and sugarcane-based ethanol has become an important source for energy security in Brazil, its main producer. At the same time, water scarcity issues have prompted the Brazilian government to compose its first National Plan for Water Security. Research shows that change in land use, a prevalent factor in the production of biofuels, can greatly impact water resources through evapotranspiration, suggesting the possibility of the existence of a link between the two events. This study aimed to investigate this phenomenon by assessing how Brazil’s push for energy security through the production of sugarcane-based ethanol could be affecting its water security. The state of Sao Paulo and the lower Cerrado, including the states of Goias, Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso do Sul, were selected as units of analysis since they comprise the largest production area in the country and are located within the La Plata Basin, where water issues have been experienced in the recent past. Results showed impressive increases over the past four decades in the amount of sugarcane and ethanol produced, as well as in the expansion of land used to cultivate sugarcane in both cases. Furthermore, the results disclosed an increasing trend in precipitation deficit for both regions. The discussion revealed that the direct land use change engendered by the expansion of sugarcane cultivation for ethanol cannot be linked to the decrease in availability of rainwater since it did not negatively impact moisture recycling. Indirect deforestation caused by the displacement of pastureland was, however, determined to have contributed to reduced rates of evapotranspiration, negatively impacting continental moisture recycling, which is imperative for levels of rainfall in the La Plata Basin. The study concludes that the increased production of sugarcane-based ethanol in Sao Paulo and in the lower Cerrado, aimed to ensure energy security for Brazil, is negatively affecting its water security through reduced rates of precipitation associated with indirect land use change. More generally, this conclusion provides insights into the energy-water nexus and a better understanding of critical tradeoffs and potentially irreversible risks that can come with isolated solutions to issues pertaining to larger, complex systems. Finally, it stresses the importance of a nexus approach for sustainable development.

Nine years have passed since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (FDND). The Japanese government has been facing the issue of striking a balance among economy, environment, and social opinions for its energy transition policy. Increasing usages of fossil fuel, natural gas, and coal can fix the energy gap left out by reduced nuclear use and stabilise Japan’s energy supply, ensuring economic growth; however, the measure would increase the global warming potential. This study applies the Fossil fuel supply security index (FFSSI) to quantify the present energy supply security in Japan and presents future scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) based on analysed results from the Linear Regression, Polynomial Regression, and Holt-Winters forecasting models. The driving forces of GHGs are analysed by Kaya identity to show the outlook in Japan. The aim of this study is to present the feasibility of reaching the Japanese government launched “Long-Term Energy Supply and Demand Outlook” for fiscal 2030, under Japan’s current energy supply system for policymaker’s consideration. Compared with other Asian-pacific countries (China, South Korea, Taiwan, etc.), the lacking self- sufficiency energy is the major weakness for Japan’s present energy supply system. Moreover, extrapolations based on several forecasting models indicate that the carbon dioxide emission is expected to increase in the next decade if keep continuing the present structure of the energy supply system.

The present ethnographic research explores the socio-economic repercussions of a copper mining operation in Chile on its host community. By examining the development of the relationship between this local community and the mining company since the latter’s arrival, this thesis sheds light on the possible (secondary) impacts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) measures and participatory spaces on intracommunal dynamics. Previous work has emphasized that enduring relationships involving participatory decision-making are crucial to build up trust and acceptance towards mining operations. However, these studies have not sufficiently focused on how such participatory mechanisms and ‘friendly’ relationships play out within the communities, on an intracommunal level. This research has addressed this gap by conducting an ethnographic fieldwork in a local community and capturing the community member’s view on the role of the mining company and their CSR measures for them and their community as a whole. This thesis found that the troublesome past with the mining operation has damaged the host community’s trust and acceptance in the involved mining companies. While disappointment and distrust were carried into more recent negotiations, community members also build up confidence and hope for a more harmonious relationship bearing new opportunities for their community. However, tracing back the history between the local community and the mining company, the thesis found that relations between the mining company and locals oscillated between protest against and dialogue. This shows that while (in-) direct economic benefits are recognized and appreciated, detrimental environmental impacts are not overlooked and still denounced. Furthermore, the rather corporate- than community-centered approach of the mining company’s CSR is criticized because it (1) neglects the common good, and (2) treats some groups/individuals in the community as more entitled to receive benefit than others. A general lack of reflection on the part of the mining company is attested: the mining company’s CSR leads to unwanted intracommunal discontent. The majority of the community leaders have full-time jobs and other obligations in addition to the time-consuming roles and related engagement on behalf of the community. On top of that, they lack sufficient support and participation of other community members to advance the work in the participatory spaces more efficiently and address the shortcomings of the commitments of the mining company accurately. However, there are historical reasons, rumors about corruption related to the mining company, and a violent discussion culture which step by step lead to a withdrawal of many community members from participating. In general, distrust, disunity, and disinformation dominate the atmosphere when it comes to the participatory spaces – but also more and more when it comes to community life itself. This in turn was observed to be both a product of and precondition for a prevailing victim mentality among the community which is characterized by demotivation, passivity, and pessimism. Valuable energy is trapped in a vicious circle rather than channeled towards action: there is no unified effort to address the problems on a community-mine level, the community stays overwhelmed, and in turn, has a hard time focusing and targeting the different issues they are facing systematically. / Mining of copper and molybdenum are crucial for our modern lifestyle: they are used for example in electronics, construction, alloys, and transport. Often, the use and consumption of such minerals are alienated from their extraction and production. There is an extensive body of literature on the environmental impacts of mining operations on the ground, however, there is also a need for a more sophisticated analysis which goes beyond the notion of the mere ‘ecological environment’. In this sense, anthropology can make an important contribution in the (re-)presentation of local realities. Therefore, this thesis critically examines, over time, the social and economic repercussions of a mining operation on its host community. Also, it discusses the so called ‘corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) measures implemented by the mining company to gain more acceptance within the local community. By conducting an ethnographic fieldwork in a local community in Chile, I captured the community member’s opinions of the mining operation next door and the CSR program. The thesis found that relations between the mining company and locals oscillated between protest against and dialogue. While economic benefits, for example through jobs or donations for the community, are recognized and appreciated, detrimental environmental impacts are denounced. The rather troublesome past with the mining company has damaged the host community’s trust in and acceptance of the mining operation. However, some community members are still confident and hope for new opportunities through the CSR measures conducted by the mining company. Yet, the CSR approach is also criticized because it (1) neglects the common good, and (2) treats some groups/individuals in the community as more entitled to receive benefit than others. A general lack of reflection on the part of the mining company is attested: the mining company’s CSR leads to unwanted intracommunal discontent. In general, the thesis found that the scope and severity of the environmental and socio-economic problems the host community is facing is overwhelming its capacity to engage and respond effectively. The majority of the community leaders have full-time jobs and other obligations in addition to the time-consuming roles and related engagement on behalf of the community. On top of that, many community members have withdrawn from participatory decision-making spaces. Rumors about corruption have spread distrust among the community and a violent discussion culture has fostered demotivation and disunity. This atmosphere is affecting not just these participatory spaces, but more and more community life itself. This in turn was observed to be both a product of and precondition for a prevailing victim mentality among the community. Such a victim mentality is characterized by passivity and pessimism. Valuable energy is trapped in a vicious circle rather than channeled towards action: there is no unified effort to address the problems with the mining company, the community stays overwhelmed, and in turn, has a hard time focusing and targeting the different issues they are facing systematically.

This case study aims to explore the social sustainability in a middle-sized city with extreme-right wing presence. The chosen middle-sized city had the Nordic Resistance Movement, an extreme and violent organisation with Nazi-ideology, in the local government election period 2014-2018. Even though the Nordic Resistance Movement is not in the local government, currently they still have social influence in the city. Schools in the middle-sized city have been under extra pressure due to propaganda on school areas and recruitment efforts. The Swedish government specifically target youth in relation to extremism because youth and children are considered a risk group for all forms of extremism. A selected group of youth, forty in total, in the middle-sized city answered an attitude survey, and four of them answered semi-structured interviews to give a deeper understanding of the survey answers. The results from the survey and interviews show that the youth had strong opinions on the presence of the Nordic Resistance Movement in their hometown. A majority of the youth perceived that Nordic Resistance Movement was present and made contact attempts in town, on social media and with graffiti and pamphlets. Furthermore, the youth responded that they wanted harder actions towards extreme-right wing organisations from the school, media, police and the justice system. Finally, the youth answered that adults around them could be both with and against the Nordic Resistance Movement, the same with the respondents themselves, indicating a polarised civil society. As for the future, the youth answered that they believe that the Nordic Resistance Movement will increase in the future, and they wanted harder regulations from the government to hinder an increase of the Nordic Resistance Movement. The social sustainability in the middle-sized city is not lost according to the youths, it can be sustainable with the help of governmental support.